Find Chicago Felony Records

Chicago felony records are filed through the Cook County Circuit Court system, which serves as the court of record for all felony cases in the city. With a population near 2.7 million, Chicago generates a large share of felony filings across Illinois. Searching for these records takes a few steps since Cook County does not post criminal case files on the web for public use. You can get arrest data from the Chicago Police Department through FOIA requests or visit the courthouse in person to view court case files. This guide walks you through each method so you know where to go and what to expect when looking for Chicago felony records.

Cook County Handles Chicago Felony Cases

Felony court records in Chicago are not kept by the city itself. They sit with the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk. The Criminal Division at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse, 2650 S. California Ave., Room 526, handles all felony trial cases that come out of the City of Chicago. This is where case files live. It is also where you go to view them. The phone number for criminal records is (773) 674-3147. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Cook County Criminal Division deals with habeas corpus matters, petitions to expunge or seal records, post-conviction relief, appeals, and identity theft cases. Suburban Cook County felony cases go to separate district courthouses outside the city, so make sure you check the right location before heading out. If the arrest took place in Chicago proper, the Leighton Courthouse is your stop.

Self-service kiosks on the first floor lobby let you look up case numbers on your own. The clerk's office also runs a live chat on their site during business hours.

Chicago Felony Records Access Online

Cook County stands out from most of Illinois because it does not let the public search criminal felony case records online. The Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Access Policy for Circuit Court Records blocks remote access to full case documents statewide, but many counties at least offer basic docket searches through Judici or their own portals. Cook County does not. The Cook County case lookup tool works for civil cases only. Registered attorneys can see criminal case data through the CCCPortal, but the general public cannot.

The statewide re:SearchIL document repository may have some Cook County filings. It is run by Tyler Technologies and used by Illinois courts to share documents. Still, the most complete way to view Chicago felony records is to go to 2650 S. California Ave. in person. Bring the case number or the defendant's name. Staff can pull the file for you.

The CPD FOIA page shows how to submit a public records request to the Chicago Police Department for arrest data tied to felony cases.

Chicago Police Department Felony Records

The Chicago Police Department keeps its own set of records tied to felony arrests. These include arrest reports, incident reports, RAP sheets, and other case data. CPD records are separate from the court files at Cook County. The Records Customer Service Section is at 3510 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60653. General hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number is (312) 745-5508.

RAP sheets require fingerprinting. You can get fingerprinted at the same location on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. only. The fee is $16 in cash, check, or money order made out to "City of Chicago - Dept of Revenue." No credit cards. After fingerprinting, the RAP sheet takes about five business days. Pick it up at Window #1 between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Only the person named on the record can collect it. If you don't pick it up within one month, you have to start the whole process again.

CPD sends your fingerprints to the Illinois State Police automatically. That means you also get a state-level RAP sheet at no extra cost. However, you can only view it at the CPD office. You cannot take a copy of the state record home.

This page from the CPD website explains the step-by-step process for getting RAP sheets and other police records in Chicago.

Note: Juvenile RAP sheets for those 16 and under require a call to the Youth Division at (312) 745-6004.

FOIA Requests for Chicago Felony Records

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act, codified at 5 ILCS 140, gives the public a right to request records held by government agencies. Courts are exempt from FOIA. But police departments are not. So you can file a FOIA request with CPD for arrest reports, incident reports, and other police records related to felony cases in Chicago.

There are four ways to submit a FOIA request to the Chicago Police Department:

• Online at Chicago.gov/publicrecords
• Email to foia@chicagopolice.org
• Fax to (312) 745-6948
• Mail or in person at CPD FOIA, 3510 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60653

The first 50 pages of black and white copies are free. Beyond that, CPD may charge copying fees set by statute. Keep in mind that FOIA is not the right tool for getting a full criminal background history. For that you need the ISP name-based search or the Access and Review fingerprint process. FOIA works best for specific incident reports, arrest reports, or case-level documents from Chicago Police.

The city's online portal makes it easy to submit and track FOIA requests for Chicago police records.

State-Level Searches for Chicago Felony Records

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification holds statewide criminal history data. Under the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630), every police agency in Illinois must submit fingerprints and descriptions for all felony arrests to the ISP. That includes every felony arrest made by Chicago Police.

Anyone can request a name-based conviction search through the ISP under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635). The fee is $16 by paper or $10 electronically. Only conviction data shows up. No consent from the subject is needed for a name-based search. For your own record, you can do an Access and Review at any Live Scan vendor for free. Results get mailed to you.

The ISP Bureau of Identification is at 260 North Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432. Appointments are required. Call 815-740-5160 or email ISP.BOI.Customer.Support@illinois.gov.

This CPD info page covers how the FOIA process works for police-held records in Chicago.

Felony Classifications in Chicago Cases

Illinois law defines felony classes under the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5). Chicago felony records will show one of these classes. Class X is the most serious, carrying 6 to 30 years in prison with no probation. Class 1 runs 4 to 15 years. Class 2 is 3 to 7 years. Class 3 is 2 to 5. Class 4, the lowest, is 1 to 3 years. These same ranges apply to every felony filed in Cook County, whether the arrest happened in downtown Chicago or a suburban district.

Some Chicago felony records may be eligible for expungement or sealing. The rules fall under Section 5.2 of the Criminal Identification Act. Class 3 and Class 4 felonies can sometimes be sealed if certain conditions are met. The ISP charges $60 to process a court order for expungement or sealing. Filing the petition itself costs nothing. More details are available at the Office of the State Appellate Defender expungement page.

Nearby Cities With Felony Records

Several cities near Chicago also have felony records handled through Cook County or neighboring counties. If the arrest occurred outside Chicago city limits, you may need to check a different court district.